Masters Degrees in Critical Care Nursing

If you're a graduate healthcare practitioner aiming to become a competent and confident critical care nurse, our course will prepare you for delivering quality, safe care in a demanding environment.

See the website http://www.anglia.ac.uk/study/part-time/critical-care

It’s well recognised that adult critical care nursing is a demanding and highly skilled role requiring comprehensive knowledge and understanding for good practice.

Our course will effectively prepare you both clinically and academically to become a competent and confident critical care nurse. It’s delivered by well qualified teachers and carries a nationally-recognised award accepted by healthcare provider trusts and independent sector healthcare organisations in the UK. Our course is mapped explicitly against the recommendations of the National Standards for Critical Care Nurse Education.

The Critical Care Nurse Education Review Forum values individuals and organisations that are delivering high-quality critical care educational courses, which will impact directly on the quality of care received by critically ill patients. Healthcare managers and clinical leaders can be assured that our course is fit for purpose and award.

On graduation, you’ll have enhanced your knowledge of research and evidence-based care and be poised to take on a specialist practitioner role in the adult critical care environment.

The Critical Care module is also available as a continuing professional development course.

Careers

Employers value the generic postgraduate skills that this qualification assures, as well as the specialist knowledge that it provides.

Core modules

Critical Care

Please note that you will need to complete all of the above core modules. This course does not have any optional modules. Modules are subject to change.

Assessment

Your theory will be assessed through a reflexive assignment to explore and enhance your emotional literacy, a short answer examination paper-based around a clinical scenario and an oral examination (viva). An essential element of assessment is the time spent working within critical care with level 2 and 3 patients (Intensive Care Society 2009). The support of clinical mentors is used to achieve step 2 and step 3 competencies as determined by the Critical Care National Nurse Network Leads (2013).

Facilities

Facilities available to you while studying at Anglia Ruskin include formal classroom learning and online learning through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). There are state-of-the-art library and clinical skills resources across all campuses, including a new purpose built health building in Cambridge. Tutorial support is provided on a one-to-one basis, in addition to being assigned a personal tutor throughout your course. Award-winning student service support is also available throughout your studies.

Special features

Specialist external speakers will provide contemporary insights into critical care practice during this course.

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The Postgraduate Certificate in Acute and Critical Care addresses the complex care required by critically ill patients.

Patients can become acutely or critically ill at any time and the more ill the patient becomes, the more likely they are to be vulnerable, physiologically unstable and require complex care. Acutely or critically ill patients exist throughout many settings in hospitals and beyond, and there is a need to ensure the quality of care is delivered by knowledgeable health care practitioners.

This one year acute and critical care nursing course is suitable if you work in ICU, CCU, HDU, A&E, theatres, medical/surgical assessment units (MAU/SAU), pre-hospital care and general acute wards.

See the website http://courses.southwales.ac.uk/courses/709-postgraduate-certificate-acute-and-critical-care

What you will study

- Applied Physiology of Acute and Critical Illness
This module looks at critically analysing the impact of pathophysiology on acute and critically ill adult patients and to understand altered physiology. You will explore the consequences of acute and critical illness on homeostasis using a wide knowledge base of normal and altered physiology to understand key treatments. The module will also focus on cardio-respiratory physiology, neurological control and acute medical conditions.

- Care and Management of the Acute and Critically Ill
You will critically evaluate the complexity of care issues in relation to acutely and critically ill adult patients and analyse the context of that care. The effectiveness of care implementation across a range of patient presentations will be analysed with consideration given to the processes of assessment, monitoring and intervention.

- Legal and Professional Issues in Caring for the Acute and Critically Ill
In this module you will undertake a critical evaluation of service delivery systems from legal and professional perspectives. This includes the right to health care; upholding human rights; duty and standards of care; professional negligence and the application of these to professional practice in acute and critical care contexts. Topics such as life and death, euthanasia, legal definitions of death, organ and tissue donation are also considered in terms of the implications on practitioners caring for acute and critically ill patients.

Learning and teaching methods

You will study through a mixture of lectures,group work, patient scenarios, interactive tutorials and seminar presentations. You will need to attend University one day a week, currently our students are taught on Fridays at 9am-5pm.

Work Experience and Employment Prospects

You will develop personally and professionally within your specialist clinical area. The course will also enable you to develop a high level of skill in transferring complex theoretical knowledge into comprehensive, patient-centred and focused clinical practice.

Assessment methods

Modules are assessed through multiple-choice questions, viva voce (oral examination), assignments, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) and written evidence of personal and professional development. The OSCEs will take place in May each year and be completed as part of the clinical skills modules and involve undertaking a comprehensive patient history, examining a particular bodily system, and identifying a management and treatment plan for the individual.

Facilities

Our state of the art Clinical Simulation Centre replicates an acute care NHS environment, providing realistic clinical facilities for our nursing and midwifery students and qualified healthcare professionals.

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The PGCert Advanced Critical Care is designed to enhance the skills of practitioners such as registered nurses and operating department practitioners. It will enable you to become a clinical expert who is able to work safely and effectively in critical care practice, meeting the Step Two and Step Three competencies of the National Competency Framework for adult critical care nurses. A systems-based approach is used throughout the course to reflect the national standards for adult critical care education. You will acquire effective leadership skills and gain the skills and confidence needed to develop others in the delivery of high quality and compassionate care to patients with complex critical care needs.

What will I study?

The programme comprises of two modules which are studied sequentially.

You will begin by focusing on the assessment and management of patients following emergency events which have led to admission to a critical care environment. You will then concentrate specifically upon the development of effective leadership within a critical care environment.

The intention is to develop a practitioner who provides clinical nursing leadership, supervision and support to teams to optimise safe standards of patient care.

How will I study?

There will typically be ten days of face-to-face learning, covering the theoretical aspects of the programme, per module. This will take the form of a combination of lectures, seminars, simulation-based learning, objective structure clinical examinations (OSCE) workshops and tutorials.

The programme also includes a significant proportion of work-based learning during which you will be supported and assessed by a clinical mentor.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed through a combination of written examinations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), written assessments and practice-based competency achievements.

Who will be teaching me?

The programme team comprises of front line clinicians from Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and academic experts from Edge Hill University. The research activities and educational roles of the programme team are varied and link to both theory and practice. A range of nationally and internationally recognised clinical experts will also be drawn upon to inform and enhance the learning experience.

What are my career prospects?

Successful completion of this programme will enhance your ability to provide expert care, clinical nursing leadership and effective supervision. It is designed to support practitioners in working towards the role of advanced practitioner to address patient needs in the clinical contexts of critical care.

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You will study the assessment and nursing management of acute childhood illness. This will involve the study of the disease processes including altered physiology of respiratory, cardiovascular, neurological, renal/metabolic and immune systems, during the acute illness phase. This will include • pain management • alternative airway management and principles of stabilisation • techniques and specialist care relating to conditions which require critical and intensive care nursing.

You also explore the role of the multi-disciplinary team, including breaking bad news, sibling and family care and palliative care.

In addition, you cover ethical concerns and the legal implications of nursing children in acute and critical care situations, alongside stress management and professional development issues.

The course content will be delivered through face-to-face contact, clinical skill simulation and online learning packages including webinars, e-lectures, discussion boards and online group work.

Course structure

Core modules

• recognition and management of the acutely ill child
• enhancing professional practice in children's acute and critical care

You also take two elective modules.

Core modules (blended learning)

• recognition and management of the acutely ill child
• enhancing professional practice in children's acute and critical care

You also take two elective distance learning modules

• critical care of the child
• work-based learning

Assessment

• written assignments

Employability

• Paediatric intense care nursing
• High dependency nursing (paediatrics)
• Emergency department nursing
• General paediatrics
• Theatre nursing
• Advanced Nurse Practitioner

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7HW074 Applied Specialist Nursing Practice)

(September to May – year long)

This year long module provides an opportunity to demonstrate your professional

practice and an ability to manage the care of a patient experiencing an episode of critical illness; this will be evidenced through assessment of competency and a reflective portfolio.

Module content includes:

Searching, interpreting and applying evidence to inform practice; Practice

development; reflective analysis; portfolio development.

Assessment Details:

1. 10 specialist practice outcomes* whilst continuing to work in your normal

practice setting (Pass/Refer)

*you will require a practice mentor to assess

your practice.

2. A reflective portfolio of evidence (100%) which supports your competency

Applied Specialist Nursing Theory (7HW072) (September to January - Semester 1)

You will study anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, assessment, monitoring and therapeutic interventions relating to a variety of areas relevant to the care of the critically ill patient. You will evaluate guidelines and evidence relating to the management of critical illness.

Module content includes:

The context and development of critical care services, applied physiology of respiratory, cardiac, renal and gastrointestinal systems; non-invasive ventilatory support, nutritional support and metabolic disorder. Maintaining patient safety as a fundamental aspect of care will be addressed as a theme throughout the module along with communication skills and infection control measures.

Assessment Details:

A case study (100%) detailing a coordinated approach to care for an individual experiencing an episode of critical illness.

Applied Specialist Nursing Theory (7HW073)

(January to May - Semester 2)

You will focus on managing care of critically ill (level 3), patients and will evaluate guidelines and evidence underpinning methods of assessment and therapeutic intervention.

Module content includes:

Applied physiology and assessment of the nervous system; shock and haemodynamic monitoring; mechanical ventilation; management of acute renal failure; sedation, delirium and pain management; psychological effects of critical illness for the patient and family. Patient safety, communication and infection control issues will continue as themes throughout this module.

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Advance your knowledge and clinical skills, positioning yourself to deliver a high quality, patient-led service. This postgraduate level programme will allow you to improve your critical care practice in terms of efficiency, effectiveness and quality. Through the contemporary focus of the course and collaboration with industry stakeholders you’ll access opportunities to advance your career.

Key features

-Enhance your skills, knowledge and career with a course designed specifically for existing advanced critical care practitioners.
-Shape your studies around your existing expertise with our student-centred approach.
-Join a programme developed through a dynamic collaborative relationship between Plymouth University and the NHS, providing opportunities for networking and career development.
-Equip yourself with the skills to be responsive to the ever-changing nature of the healthcare environment. This contemporary and dynamic programme means you can position yourself at the leading edge of critical care practice.
-Update and enhance your skill set thanks to the research-informed teaching embedded throughout our curriculum.
-Benefit from the extensive professional experience of our team, hailing from a diverse range of health and social care environments.

Course details

Develop your clinical skills, knowledge and competence as a trainee under the supervision of your consultant intensivist, through our integrated approach to teaching. You’ll study modules that combine both theoretical and clinical components, equipping you with the tools you need to excel as an advanced critical care practitioner. In your first year you’ll study 'core skills for advanced critical care practitioners 1', a module which combines eight weeks of taught theory and 27 weeks of associated clinical practice. You’ll build on this existing knowledge in your second year and in addition, explore the topic of non-medical prescribing.

On completion of PgDip, you have the option to enrol onto the MSc Advanced Critical Care Practitioner programme.

Core modules
-HEAD709 NMP: Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Designated Allied Health Professionals
-ACCP701 Core Skills for Advanced Critical Care Practitioners 1
-ACCP702 Core Skills for Advanced Critical Care Practitioners 2
-NMP702 Non-Medical Prescribing: Independent and Supplementary Prescribing for Nurses and Midwives
-APP702 Advancing Research Knowledge in Practice 1

Every postgraduate taught course has a detailed programme specification document describing the programme aims, the programme structure, the teaching and learning methods, the learning outcomes and the rules of assessment.

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Continue your studies and gain your MSc Advanced Critical Care Practitioner qualification with our new top-up programme, designed to follow on from the PgDip Advanced Critical Care Practitioner programme. This final year will equip you with advanced research skills and deeper understanding of how to improve patient care.

Please note: you must have completed the PgDip Advanced Critical Care Practitioner programme to enrol for this award.

Key features

-Increase your understanding and use of complex data to evaluate the effectiveness of critical care delivery. This will enable you to be innovative and utilise both knowledge and skills to continue to improve patient care.
-Demonstrate your ability to work in complex and unpredictable environments, developing your problem solving skills and the ability to take the initiative in your workplace.
-Develop a clinically focused project to enhance and benefit your practice.
-Join a programme developed through a close collaboration with key stakeholders including students, clinical representatives and academic staff.
-Shape your studies around your existing expertise with our student-centred approach.
-Equip yourself with the skills to be responsive to the ever-changing nature of the healthcare environment. This contemporary and dynamic programme means you can position yourself at the leading edge of critical care practice.
-Benefit from the extensive professional experience of our team, hailing from a diverse range of health and social care environments.

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This Advanced Clinical Practice Masters provides an academic underpinning that meets the contemporary challenges of advanced clinical practice.

This is a pathway through the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice which enables the successful student to apply for associate membership with the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM) as an Advanced Critical Care Practitioner.

Introducing your degree

The aim of the programme is to support your ongoing development as a knowledgeable and skilful practitioner in your specialist area. On successful completion of this award you will be enabled to assume a leading role in the provision of high quality, evidence based health and social care which is underpinned by a robust and scientific theoretical knowledge base.

Overview

In the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice (Advanced Critical Care Practitioner) you will:

• Examine role development in relation to advanced practice, and specifically in relation to the role of advanced critical care practitioner
• Examine the nature and use of advanced practice, communication and decision-making skills
• Explore how to meaningfully apply evidence to your field of practice
• Undertake learning which enables you to develop new and/or enhanced clinical skills in relation to your professional role within advanced critical care
• Enable you to build on your knowledge, skills and competence to become a clinical expert and/or leader in your chosed field of advanced critical care

View the programme specification document for this course

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If you are a clinician, a senior nurse or an allied health professional working in critical care, this programme is designed to give you a thorough grounding in critical care medicine, together with the tools to maintain your knowledge over a course of advanced, specialist instruction. We aim to ensire that you acquire the theoretical understanding and skills to advance and promote knowledge in this specialty and develop your leadership skills.

This programme aims to:

provide advanced theoretical and practical teaching that covers a broad range of key topics related to the management of the critically ill or injured patient
develop the skills, knowledge and confidence so that you can lead the provision of the highest standards of critical care
develop and demonstrate your competence in a critical appraisal of research and your skills in conducting robust clinical audit.
Programme outline
Core modules:

Pathophysiological Basis of Critical Illness
Supportive Care for Failing Organ Function
Care of the Unconscious Patient
Decision-Making, Communication and Ethics
Research and Audit Methodology
Special Patient Groups
Neurocritical Care and Trauma Management
Clinical Observership
Dissertation

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The Master of Clinical Practice programme incorporates the Postgraduate Diploma Clinical Practice (Advanced Critical Care Practice) and Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Clinical Skills, and is only available to Trust employees appointed into the role of Advanced Critical Care Practitioner.

The Master of Clinical Practice reflects a unique focus on mastery of clinical (health care practice) theory and skills, and unlike other postgraduate courses it requires an assessment of clinical competence on which the award is contingent. As a result, the breadth of knowledge introduced will be limited when compared to existing MSc or MA courses within postgraduate studies, and focused instead on knowledge that is imperative for clinical practice. For these reasons this links postgraduate study to clinical work.

The course addresses the requirement to provide a Masters award that includes new clinical skills to prepare for a role as a new type of health professional. A substantial part of the course is devoted to the development of specific skills and the remainder accommodates the acquisition of a bio-medical and practice related knowledge base required for the role. For this reason, research and other forms of evidence are integrated within the practitioner specific modules and within clinical practice.

The duration of the Master of Clinical Practice is three years. The Postgraduate Diploma will be full-time over two years. The final (dissertation) year will be undertaken on a part-time basis. The changing nature of healthcare provision has created new roles within critical care units. These developments are in response to variations in recruitment and retention patterns for medical staff, and the impact of the European Working Time Directive. The Advanced Practitioner role is a new non-medical role in critical care. The role is designed to make significant contribution to the care and management of critically ill patients and their families.

Students will engage theory and practice within modules that adopt an integrated approach to teaching and learning in the development of skills and practice knowledge.

Module Overview
AC0721 - Practice Evaluation Dissertation (Optional, 60 Credits)
PP0189 - Empirical Project (Optional, 60 Credits)
PP0190 - Practice Project (Optional, 60 Credits)
PP0191 - Systematic Appraisal (Optional, 60 Credits)

Facilities

When you want to get hands-on experience within Public Health and Wellbeing we can support you. The Clinical Skills Centre, which has been established for 10 years, is the result of our continued commitment to create an interactive environment in which health related students can be equipped with a diverse range of skills.

Research

Top quartile in the UK for its research power in Allied Health Sciences and Nursing
More than 80% of research activity in Allied Health Sciences and Nursing is rated as world leading or internationally excellent (REF 2014)

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Trauma is one of the world’s leading killers and is responsible for the loss of more life-years than any other disease. All countries, developed and developing recognise the importance of trauma to their health care systems. Many countries including the UK are actively pursuing rationalization and specialization programmes. This distance-learning course will provide student’s a broad and critical understanding of the most up-to-date science and practice of trauma care. A summer school incorporating simulated scenario training (consistent with the student’s scope of practice) will complement the didactic learning to provide practical knowledge and experience of decision-making and the safe, professional delivery of core clinical functions in the management of seriously injured patients


1st Yr CORE: • Trauma; the Disease
• Haemorrhage & Response to Injury • Torso Trauma • Brain & Spinal Cord Injury • Critical Care & Trauma • Fracture Biology & Extremity Trauma • Research Methods

1st Yr ELECTIVE: • Trauma Nursing • Burns & Wound Healing SUMMER SCHOOL

2nd Yr DISSERTATION

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Trauma is one of the world’s leading killers and is responsible for the loss of more life-years than any other disease. War is predicted to be the 6th leading cause of death by 2020. Opportunities for the training of military trauma care specialists are extremely limited, and many defence agencies rely on the deployment situation as the primary training for their personnel. All countries, developed and developing recognise the importance of trauma to their health care systems. With global disasters, humanitarian crises and mass casualty events on the rise, the importance of specialist training in the science and management of these events is increasingly important.
This distance-learning course will provide student’s a broad and critical understanding of the most up-to-date science and practice of trauma care in these environments. A summer school incorporating simulated scenario training (consistent with the student’s scope of practice) will complement the didactic learning to provide practical knowledge and experience of decision-making and the safe, professional delivery of core clinical functions in the management of seriously injured patients.


1st Yr CORE: • Trauma; the Disease
• Haemorrhage & Response to Injury • Torso Trauma • Brain & Spinal Cord Injury • Critical Care & Trauma • Fracture Biology & Extremity Trauma • Military & Austere Trauma • Research Methods

SUMMER SCHOOL

2nd Yr DISSERTATION

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Delivered at our Riverside Campus in Chester, the Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Care incorporates the latest simulation techniques, which will enable you as a practitioner to link theory to practice.

Competence and knowledge for excellence in Critical Care practice is changing. The introduction of the National Standards and Competencies for Critical Care Education has underpinned this Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Care, which is a course at the forefront of Master’s-level education.

The Postgraduate Certificate in Critical Care incorporates the latest simulation techniques, which will enable you as a practitioner to link theory to practice. By combining these techniques with rigorous academic theory and practice competencies, you will develop into a competent and effective nurse within the critical care environment.

During the course you will have access to our library and e-library, enabling you to access extensive online resources and support materials.

Completing this course and exiting with a formal certificate in Critical Care will be an exciting and valuable opportunity for students.

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This course is primarily aimed at doctors, nurses and paramedics caring for critically ill patients. This course aims to prepare health care professionals to work at a senior clinical decision making level across a number of clinical settings.

The structure of the course will enable the non-medical clinicians to undertake a full systems examination (Child and Adult) and to develop the knowledge and skills to clinically and critically interpret results of tests and investigations. A flexible, modular structure allows you to study over a three years period starting with the PG Certificate in the first year, then progressing to the PG Diploma in the second and then going on to the MSc stage in the third.

Taught by senior practising clinicians and health care professionals, this is an interactive programme where you will learn through seminars, group work and individual study.

Duration

MSc - 3 years part time
PG Dip - 2 years part time
PG Cert - 1 year part time

Teaching methods

This is an interactive programme. You will learn through lectures and seminars, practical group work and guided reading. You will benefit from guided discussions and have the opportunity to practice the skills you have learnt during the sessions.

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About the course

If you’re working within neonatal intensive care, this course gives you the opportunity to advance clinically and professionally.

You’ll focus on the specialist knowledge and skills necessary for managing, promoting and delivering safe evidence-based care that addresses the physiological, psychological and cultural needs of neonates and their families.

Clinical experts in neonatology and other related fields contribute to the course, reflecting the multidisciplinary nature of real practice.

The world needs health professionals

And we’re dedicated to educating them. We have strong links with other health departments at the University, including the School for Health and Related Research (ScHARR), the Department of Sociological Studies, the Medical School and the Centre for the Study of Childhood and Youth.

The school is close to the central University campus, opposite the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. You’ll be at the heart of student life with West Street, Broomhill and the best students’ union in the country on your doorstep.

We teach the skills that matter

Because we work closely with our partners in health and social care, your course will equip you with the skills employers are looking for. All our courses are research-led, shaped by local, national and international policy. They’re designed to be flexible, to meet the demands of a rapidly changing work environment.

We teach the skills you need to establish research and education initiatives in health and social care wherever in the world you are needed. Through our partnerships with other organisations, you’ll get the chance to network and make useful contacts.

Core modules

• Intensive Care of the Newborn
• High Dependency Care of the Newborn
• Concepts Care of the Newborn

Teaching and assessment

You’ll learn through lectures, seminar presentations and small-group work.

Sessions are run by either clinical experts or our experienced lecturers. Each module is assessed by a written assignment.

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